Aretha Franklin Biopic ‘Respect’ To Premiere In August 2020

MGM has dated its Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” for Aug. 14, 2020.

The pic, directed by Liesl Tommy and scripted by Oscar winner Callie Khouri, follows the 17-Grammy winner from her childhood days singing in her father’s church’s choir to mega-stardom and the performer of such hit songs as “Respect” and “Chain of Fools.”

“Dreamgirls” Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will play Franklin.

Tradecraft’s Scott Bernstein, who produced “Straight Outta Compton,” and Harvey Mason, Jr., who has written and produced songs for both Franklin and Hudson, are producers on “Respect.”

Mid-August is a prime time to launch early awards season fare, a month that’s home to such Oscar pedigree as “Hell or High Water” and “Inglourious Basterds,” to name a few.

The only other major studio release dated on the same day as “Respect” is an untitled Universal film.

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